1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to string vibration transducers for electric stringed instruments.
2. Prior Art
Among conventional string vibration transducer bridges for electric stringed instruments, e.g. electric guitars, there have been some models in which an independent pickup for detecting string vibrations is installed for each string. Such systems, however, are characterized in that only the detection of string vibrations is done on a string-by-string basis, with the output signal of each pickup being sent out of the electric guitar via a common lead line. Accordingly, the principal purpose of the pickups is simply to efficiently convert the string vibrations into electrical signals regardless of the type of material from which the strings are made. For this reason, even when other devices are used in combination with electric guitars employing such a conventional bridge, it is absolutely impossible for the player to (a) adjust the output on a string-by-string basis, (b) accentuate the vibrations of specific strings while playing, or (c) adopt a playing technique in which an electrical signal representing a clear chord is obtained while attacking the strings as a whole.
Furthermore, in the case of pickups installed in conventional bridges, only the string-supporting part of each pickup is designed to be movable. Accordingly, since the piezo-electric device contained in each pickup remains in a fixed position when the strings are tuned, the direction from which pressure is applied to the piezoelectric device varies according to the movement of the string-supporting part. It is therefore impossible to convert string vibrations into electrical signals under identical conditions in every instance, and this results in a disadvantage of some variation in tone quality and output level every time the strings are tuned.